Good Driving Habits
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IT’S SAID one should never question a man’s competence as a driver but In defiance of convention here are few ideas for developing good desert driving techniques.
Thumbs Out:
When you hold the steering wheel do not grip it with your thumbs inside
the rim. Keep your thumbs out and resting along the top face of the wheel. The reason is very simple.A sudden deflection of the wheel from contact with a pothole, hard lump in the ground or tree stump will cause the wheel to spin out of our hands. If your thumbs get caught by the spokes of the steering wheel it can be very painful indeed.
Momentum:
Changing gear when traversing a soft section may cause a momentary Pause in forward motion that will make it difficult to get going again.
So plan ahead and choose a gear and stay in it until you reach firmer Ground.
This applies particularly on uphill sections where the difference between successfully scaling the slope and ignominious failure is just a gear change Away.
If you realize you are running into problems it is better to stop sooner than Later. Reverse back to a point where you can start again. And make a more successful attempt in a different gear or by an alternative route.
Lines of least Resistance
Try to take the line of least resistance when tackling an obstacle. Whilst you should always tackle smooth slopes in a straight line there are some climbs where the ascent can be better made by meandering route which follows step by step ascent thus reducing the overall angle of climb?
Keep Your Distance
TRAVELLING in convoys some drivers have a bad tendency to drive too close to the vehicle in front of them. This causes serious problems if the leading vehicle runs into difficulty or has to stop suddenly or wishes to reverse back along his tracks as the follower has little time or space to take evading action and he himself becomes stuck. It is also my very annoying and distracting for the driver in front if the next vehicle is breathing down his exhaust pipe – so keep your distance from the vehicle in front. Not only is It good manners but a necessary tactic to avoid getting stuck.
A reasonable distance to maintain is about ten vehicle lengths when driving Over dunes and rough ground. This will give a clear view and sufficient Reaction time if problems occur. When driving in convoy on tracks at faster speeds then 100 metres is a minimum distance from the vehicle in front. On gravel tracks it will also lessen the risk of windscreen damage from flying stones and provide better visibility by avoiding the dust raised by the Vehicles in front.
Don’t Stop Where You Can’t Start:
THIS APPLIES mainly when ascending slopes and failure to observe this Rule is the main cause of inexperienced drivers getting stuck. Never stop on the top of a dune – go over the top and stop on the downward slope so that you can start off again. Never stop astride the ridge on top of a dune. Always stop on a downhill slope whenever possible.
NOt bad man especially since its coming from you. :good:
Well said bro thank you for the valuable information. :thanks: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:
quote WiLdCaT:NOt bad man especially since its coming from you. :good::thanks:
Master DD , Words of wisdom , HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYA
Very good, DD…
Nice article 😀
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